Sunday, October 5, 2014

Kaweco Skyline fountain pen

We all know the Classic Sport pens Kaweco makes, and I guess most people like them too, but there's something that has always annoyed me (and I CANNOT be the only one...): the gold trims! Unless you went with the colourful Ice Sport, there was no way of getting a silver trimmed pen... UNTIL TODAY!

Kaweco answered 'our' (As I'm assuming I'm not the only one who doesn't like gold trims!?) prayers with the newly released Skyline! It's the same Classic Sport design and build, but with silver colored trims and nib! They even released two new colours (along with the standard black) to go with it: grey and mint, both of which look absolutely great!

Other than that, they're basically still the same pens as the classics, which is good! Of course it's still a plastic pen, so no, they aren't as bombproof as their aluminum bigger brother, the AL sport. But that's the whole point! It's an entry-level pen, for a small price, you are able to try one out, see wether you like the rather unconventional form factor or not! Or just to try out different nibs without breaking the bank.

The build quality of the Skyline is obviously equal to the Sport Classic. I'd even dare to say it's on par with the AL Sport! Apart from a few obvious seams in the injection moulded plastic parts, the fit and finish is easily as good as Kaweco's higher-end models! One thing that does make the AL Sport superior (or at least in my eyes!) is it being a substantial amount heavier than this one (close to 25g instead of a mere 10-15g for the classic and skyline!).

As with all Sport pens, the Skyline is designed to be small in the pocket, large in the hand! It's a great pocket pen, apart from the fact that it doesn't come with a clip (they are available separately in different designs and colors, though at 5-8 Euros, they're pretty expensive compared to the pen itself!). The cap posts firmly, and it has to, because it's way too short to use unposted. Once posted however, it becomes a full-sized pen, easily long enough to be used comfortably!

Pen people often refer to the Lamy safari, or the more recent Pilot Metropolitan as 'the best entry-level fountain pen' though I'd like to add to that list! With Kaweco adding the Skyline to the Sport lineup, you'll always find a pen that suits your style!

For 20 Euros / 25 USDollars, this is one of the best pocket pens available (if not THE best), that has the writing qualities of a full-sized, much more expensive pen! I've used these pens for many years now, and the classic still continues to be one of my personal EDC favourites! So if you're looking for a compact, cheap pen that'll serve you well, I'd highly reccomend the Kaweco Sport, in this case the Skyline!

Note: this pen was sent to me by Kaweco, free of charge. I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, nor was I monetarily compensated. The opinions shared in this review are completely my own!